Top Three Immigration Destinations in the World

Three top immigration destinations offering great lifestyles, benefits, and work opportunities to immigrants – read on for more info on benefits and eligibility criteria for each of the three countries

Our choice of three best immigration destinations is not, by any means, based on the number of immigrants a country takes in every year, but more on what the country has on offer for immigrants in terms of career, welfare, medical cover, education, old age benefits, and rights.

Obviously, countries inviting immigrants are not doing it for charitable reasons and entry is not open to everybody and anybody. There are certain criteria that applicants, whether individuals or families, have to meet in order to be eligible for immigration to any given country.

Again, not unexpectedly, each country determines its own set of criteria according to its requirements – or else why would it accept immigrants in the first place?

Finding suitable employment is the primary concern of most, if not every, applicant when contemplating immigration. The good thing is that each of these countries has an occupation list which contains all those occupations that are required at a national level. This effectively means that if the applicant’s profession is on that list, he/she is eligible for immigration with more than a fair chance of finding suitable employment. Needless to say, all other immigration criteria for that particular profession have to be met.

Certain criteria can vary according to the nationality of the applicant; for example, educational certificates from certain colleges may not be acceptable to the country the applicant intends to immigrate to – there’s a chance those colleges are blacklisted in that country.

Based on all the above factors, we have given our choice of the top three immigration destinations in the world and why.

Australia

World-class cities, great job opportunities with high salaries, cultural diversity, and other developed-world benefits make Australia one of the top immigration destinations in the world.

Being an underpopulated country with an aging populace, there is an ongoing skill shortage across various industries in this continent-country, attracting thousands of immigrants each year with lucrative job offers.

Australia invites applicants by way of its points-based Skilled Migration program granting a Permanent Resident (PR) Visa to eligible applicants.

PR Visa is given under three categories: Subclass 189, Subclass 190, and Subclass 489

Benefits of the PR Visa

The PR visa is a five-year multiple-entry visa which allows you live and work in Australia indefinitely. On completion of five years, you are eligible to apply for renewal provided you meet the renewal criteria. In order to apply for citizenship, a different set of criteria needs to be met.

Permanent residents enjoy most benefits that Australian citizens do, including free education for children up to high school and access to free or subsidized legal and medical services as well as old age benefits. Permanent Residents are not eligible to vote until they become Australian citizens.

You are allowed to take your immediate family (spouse and children under 18) with you or have them join you later.

Australian permanent residents are free to live, work, and study in New Zealand.

Children born in Australia will be deemed Australian citizens by birth.

Eligibility Criteria for Australian PR under Subclass 189

This is the most sought after PR visa. Applicants must have an aggregate of 60 points with points given for age, education, work experience, English language skills, sponsorship points if applicable, and bonus points if any.

The applicant should not be more than 50 years old.

It is mandatory for an applicant to nominate an occupation according to the Skilled Occupation List (SOL) which suits the applicant’s experience, qualification, and skill sets.

A Skill Assessment Certificate for the nominated occupation from the relevant authority in Australia is mandatory. For example, if you are an IT person, like a software engineer or a network administrator, you need to have a positive skill assessment report from the Australian Computer Society (ACS). Likewise, an engineer would require a skill assessment certificate from the assessing body for engineers, “Engineers Australia,” and so on.

English Language proficiency has to be proved through designated tests such as IELTS (International English Language Testing System), OET (Occupational English Test) or PTE (Pearson Test of English).
Details of relevant work experience have to be provided as per the demand of the nominated occupation.

Education certificates must be provided.

Character and Health requirements have to be fulfilled.

Eligibility Criteria for Australian PR under Subclass 190

The Subclass 190 is a state sponsored visa for those applicants whose skills may not be required at a national level but is in demand at the state level. The state has to sponsor such applicants to gain entry on a PR Visa.

Applicants must score an aggregate of 60 points with points given for age, education, work experience, English language skills, state sponsorship (5 points), and bonus points if any.

The applicant should not be more than 50 years old.

It is mandatory for an applicant to nominate an occupation according to the Combined Skilled Occupation List (CSOL) which suits the applicant’s experience, qualification, and skill sets.

A Skill Assessment Certificate for the nominated occupation from the relevant authority in Australia is mandatory. For example, if you are an IT person, like a software engineer or a network administrator, you need to have a positive skill assessment report from the Australian Computer Society (ACS). Likewise, an engineer would require a skill assessment certificate from the assessing body for engineers, “Engineers Australia,” and so on.

English Language proficiency has to be proved through designated tests such as IELTS (International English Language Testing System), OET (Occupational English Test) or PTE (Pearson Test of English).

Details of relevant work experience have to be provided as per the demand of the nominated occupation.

Education certificates must be provided.

Character and Health requirements have to be fulfilled.

The applicant has to show sufficient maintenance funds in order to receive state sponsorship. The fund requirement may vary from state to state.

Eligibility Criteria for Australian PR under Subclass 489

The Subclass 489 is a Skilled Regional Sponsored Visa with a four-year validity period. This visa suits applicants who do not meet the requirements of the Subclass 189 or 190 PR Visa.

To qualify for this visa the applicant must be sponsored by a state, territory, or a relative residing in the area.

The 60-point benchmark is mandatory for this visa as well.
The applicant must live for 2 years in the sponsoring state/territory and work for at least 1 year during that period to be eligible to apply for Permanent Residency.

English Language, Health and Character, Education, and Work Experience requirements have to be fulfilled.

Canada is another great immigration destination for people looking for a high quality of life in one of the safest countries in the world with plenty of opportunities for skilled aspirants. Like Australia, Canada is also experiencing an ongoing shortage of skilled workers with a long list of in- demand occupations in almost all industrial sectors of the country.

Freedom and equal rights for all its people, including immigrants, is secured by the “Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.”

An immigrant who attains citizenship becomes automatically eligible to live and work in neighboring United States under the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) between Canada, United States, and Mexico.

Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) invites immigrants through a recently launched Express Entry system for those who qualify under the Federal Skilled Worker Program, the Canadian Experience Class, the Federal Skilled Trades Program, and the Provincial Nominee Program.

The FSWP is the most popular and sought after by immigrants looking to establish themselves in the country.

Eligibility requirement for PR under the Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP)

A minimum of 67 points has to be scored to qualify for PR under FSWP. Points are given for age, work experience, education, language proficiency, spouse skills if applicable, previous work experience or education in Canada, a valid job offer from a Canadian employer.

Age – 12 points is the maximum given to applicants aged between 18 and 35 while 1 point is the lowest score for 45-year-olds.

Work Experience – Have at least one year of full-time work experience in the last 10 years in a skilled occupation.

Qualification – An Educational Credential Assessment (ECA) report by a CIC approved agency to assess the Canadian equivalent of the applicant’s educational qualifications.

An erstwhile British Colony, Hong Kong is now an autonomous territory of China and is one of the top financial hubs in Asia. It’s relaxed taxation policies, a pulsating economy, plenty of business and employment opportunities, and its free port status makes it an exciting immigration destination in Asia.

Hong Kong invites immigrants by way of its Quality Migrant Admission Scheme (QMAS) attracting thousands of skilled immigrants from all over the world each year.

Quality Migrant Admission Scheme (QMAS)

The main objective of QMAS is to attract highly skilled and talented people who can contribute to the economy of the state. In order to qualify for the QMAS permit, it is not mandatory to have a prior job offer from a Hong Kong employer.

QMAS is basically an open work permit which does not restrict you to one employer as is the case with regular work permits.

To be eligible under QMAS, the applicant must meet the scheme’s General Points Test requirement of 80 points – an aggregate of points earned for Age, Experience, Qualification, Language, and accompanying spouse if applicable.

All applicants must satisfy all of the following prerequisites:

Age – The applicant must be aged 18 or above when lodging an application under the Scheme.

Financial requirement – The applicant must be able to demonstrate that he/she is capable of supporting and accommodating himself/herself and his/her dependents, if any, on his/her own financial resources without relying on public assistance during his/her stay in Hong Kong.

Good character – The applicant should not have any criminal record or adverse immigration record in Hong Kong or elsewhere.

Language proficiency – The applicant should be proficient in written and spoken Chinese (Putonghua or Cantonese) or English.

Basic educational qualification – The applicant must have a good education background, normally a first degree from a recognized university or a tertiary educational institution. In special circumstances, good technical qualifications, proven professional abilities and/or experience and achievements supported by documentary evidence may be considered.

If the applicant fails to provide satisfactory supporting documents showing that he/she meets all the above prerequisites, his/her application will not be processed further and will be refused immediately.

Hong Kong also accepts immigrants on QMAS under an Achievement-based Points Test to attract individuals with exceptional talent and skills and outstanding achievements.

“Requirement under this test is very high. Those who are considered to have met one of the criteria under this test listed in the following paragraph will be awarded 195 points; otherwise, no point will be awarded. Applications which fail to score points under this test will be refused immediately.

Points may be awarded under this test if:

a) The applicant has received an award of exceptional achievement (e.g. Olympic medals, Nobel prize, national/international awards); or

b) The applicant can show that his/her work has been acknowledged by his/her peers or has contributed significantly to the development of his/her field (e.g. lifetime achievement award from industry).”